title: Lead toxicity as an etiology for abdominal pain in the emergency department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abdominal pain is an uncommon presentation of lead toxicity in the emergency department (ED). However, making the diagnosis is important in avoiding unnecessary testing and the long-term sequelae of lead toxicity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To illustrate possible presentations of abdominal pain secondary to lead toxicity and highlight the importance of taking a thorough patient history.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report 2 patients who presented to the ED with abdominal pain and underwent extensive evaluations that did not reveal an etiology. At follow-up visits, their occupational histories revealed possible lead exposures from working for a bullet-recycling company. Tests revealed that each patient had extremely high lead levels and they were both treated for lead toxicity. Their abdominal pain resolved as their lead levels decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These cases demonstrate a rare but significant cause of abdominal pain in the ED. Although history-taking in the ED is necessarily brief, these cases underscore the importance of obtaining an occupational history.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.
authors.forename: Risa S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Moriarity
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male
keywords: abdominal pain; lead; lead toxicity; occupational history